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paralleljulieverse · 5 years ago

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“We’ll be educating Archie, so we’ll be busy for a while...”

We are a little late with this commemorative post, but last month -- 6 June, to be precise -- marked the 70th anniversary of the debut of Educating Archie (1950-59), the legendary BBC radio series starring ventriloquist Peter Brough and his dummy, Archie Andrews. Fourteen-year-old Julie Andrews was part of the original line-up for the 1950 premiere season of Educating Archie and she would remain with the show for two full seasons till late-1951/early-1952.

It would be difficult to exaggerate the significance of Educating Archie during the ‘Golden Age' of BBC Radio in the 1950s. Across the ten years it was on the air, it grew from a popular series on the Light Programme into a “national institution” (Donovan, 74). At its peak, the series averaged a weekly audience of over 15 million Britons, almost a third of the national population (Elmes, 208). Even the Royals were apparently fans, with Brough and Archie invited to perform several times at Windsor Castle (Brough, 162ff). The show found equal success abroad, notably in Australia, where a special season of the series was recorded in 1957 (Foster and First, 133).

Audiences couldn’t get enough of the smooth-talking Brough and his smart-lipped wooden sidekick, and the show soon spawned a flood of cross-promotional spin-offs and marketing ventures. There were Educating Archie books, comics, records, toys, games, and clothing. An Archie Andrews keyring sold half a million units in six months and the Archie Andrews iced lolly was one of the biggest selling confectionary items of the decade (Dibbs 201). More than a mere radio programme, Educating Archie became a cultural phenomenon that “captured the heart and mood of a nation” (Merriman, 53).

On paper, the extraordinary success of Educating Archie can be hard to fathom. After all, what is the point of a ventriloquist act on the radio where you can’t see the artist’s mouth or, for that matter, the dummy? Ventriloquism is, however, more than just the simple party trick of “voice-throwing”. A good “vent” is at heart a skilled actor who can use his or her voice to turn a wooden doll into a believable character with a distinct personality and dynamic emotional life. It is why many ventriloquists have found equal success as voice actors in animation and advertising (Lawson and Persons, 2004).

Long before Educating Archie, several other ventriloquist acts showed it was possible to make a successful transition to the audio-only medium of radio. Most famous of these was the American Edgar Bergen who, with his dummy Charlie McCarthy, had a top-rating radio show which ran in the US for almost two decades from 1937-1956 (Dunning, 226). Other local British precedents were provided by vents such as Albert Saveen, Douglas Craggs and, a little later, Arthur Worsley, all of whom had been making regular appearances on radio variety programmes for some time (Catling, 81ff; Street, 245).

By his own admission, Peter Brough was not the most technically proficient of ventriloquists. A longstanding joke -- possibly apocryphal but now the stuff of showbiz lore -- runs that he once asked co-star Beryl Reid if she could ever see his lips move. “Only when Archie’s talking,” was her deadpan response (Barfe, 46). But Brough -- described by one critic as “debonair, fresh-faced and pleasantly toothy” (Wilson “Dummy”, 4) -- had an engaging performance style and he cultivated a “charismatic relationship with his doll as the enduring and seductive Archie Andrews” (Catling, 83). Touring the variety circuit throughout the war years, he worked hard to perfect his one-man comedy act with him as the sober straight man and Archie the wise-cracking cut-up.

Inspired by the success of the aforementioned Edgar Bergen -- whose NBC radio shows had been brought over to the UK to entertain US servicemen during the war -- Brough applied to audition his act for the BBC (Brough, 43ff). It clearly worked because the young vent soon found himself performing on several of the national broadcaster’s variety shows. His turn on one of these, Navy Mixture, proved so popular that he secured a regular weekly segment, “Archie Takes the Helm” which ran for forty-six weeks (ibid, 49). While appearing on Navy Mixture, Brough worked alongside a wide range of other variety artists, including, as it happens, a husband and wife performing team by the name of Ted and Barbara Andrews.

Fast forward several years to 1950 and, in response to his surging popularity, Brough was invited by the BBC to mount a fully-fledged radio series built around the mischievous Archie (Brough, 77ff). A semi-sitcom style narrative was devised -- written by Brough’s longtime writing partner, Sid Colin and talented newcomer, Eric Sykes -- in which Archie was cast as “a boy in his middle teens, naughty but lovable, rather too grown up for his years-- especially where the ladies are concerned -- and distinctly cheeky” (Broadcasters, 5). Brough was written in as Archie’s guardian who, sensing the impish lad needed to be “taken strictly in hand before he becomes a juvenile delinquent,” engages the services of a private tutor to “educate Archie” (ibid.). Filling out the weekly tales of comic misadventure was a roster of both regular and one-off characters. In the first season, the Australian comedian, Robert Moreton, was Archie's pompous but slightly bumbling tutor, Max Bygraves played a likeable odd-job man, and the multi-talented Hattie Jacques voiced the part of Agatha Dinglebody, a dotty neighbourhood matron who was keen on the tutor, along with several other comic characters (Brough, 78-81).

In keeping with the variety format popular at the time, it was decided the series would also feature weekly musical interludes. “Our first choice” in this regard, recalls Peter Brough (1955), “was little Julie Andrews”:

“A brief two years before [Julie] had begun her professional career as a frail, pig-tailed, eleven-year-old singing sensation, startling the critics in Vic Oliver’s ‘Starlight Roof’ at the London Hippodrome by her astonishingly mature coloratura voice. Many people of the theatrical world were ready to scoff, declaring the child’s voice was a freak, that it could not last or that such singing night after night would injure her throat. They did not reckon with Julie’s mother, Barbara, and father, Ted: nor with her singing teacher, Madame Stiles-Allen. In their care, the little girl, who had sung ‘for the fun of it’ since she was seven, continued a meteoric career that has few, if any rivals” (81).

As further context for Julie’s casting in Educating Archie, the fourteen-year-old prodigy had already appeared on several earlier BBC broadcasts and was thus well known to network management. In fact, Julie had already worked with the show’s producer, Roy Speers, on his BBC variety show, Starlight Hour in 1948 (Julie Andrews Radio Artists File I).

Julie’s role in Educating Archie was essentially that of the show’s resident singer who would come out and perform a different song each week. In the first volume of her memoirs, Julie recalls:

“If I was lucky, I got a few lines with the dummy; if not, I just sang. Working closely with Mum and [singing teacher] Madame [Stiles-Allen], I learned many new songs and arias, like ‘The Shadow Waltz’ from Dinorah; ‘The Wren’; the waltz songs from Romeo and Juliet and Tom Jones; ‘Invitation to the Dance’; ‘The Blue Danube’; ‘Caro Nome’ from Rigoletto; and ‘Lo, Hear the Gentle Lark’” (Andrews 2008, 126)

Other numbers performed by Julie during her appearances on Educating Archie include: “The Pipes of Pan”, “My Heart and I”, “Count Your Blessings”, “I Heard a Robin”, and “The Song of the Tritsch-Tratsch” (”Song Notes”, 11; Julie Andrews Radio Artists File I). Additional musical interludes were provided by other regulars on the show such as Max Bygraves, the Hedley Ward Trio and the Tanner Sisters.

Alongside her weekly showcase song, Julie’s role was progressively built into a character of sorts as the eponymously named ‘Julie’, a neighbourhood friend of Archie’s. In a later BBC retrospective, Brough recalled that it was actually Julie’s idea to flesh out her part:

“We were thinking of Educating Archie and dreaming up the idea...and we wanted something fresh in the musical spot. We had just heard Julie Andrews with Vic Oliver in Starlight Roof...and we thought, why not Julie with that lovely fresh voice, this youngster with a tremendous range? So we asked her to come and take part in the trial recording and she came up with her mother and her music teacher, Madame Stiles-Allen...and Julie was a tremendous hit, absolutely right from the start. She used to sing those lovely Strauss waltzes...and all those lovely songs and hit the high notes clear as a bell. And then she came to me and said, ‘Look...I’m just doing the song spot, do you think I could just do a line or two with Archie and develop a little talking, a little character work?’ So, I said, ‘I don’t see why not’, So we talked to Eric Sykes and Roy Speer and, suddenly, we started with Julie talking lines back-and-forth with Archie, and Eric developed the character for her of the girl-next-door for Archie, very sweet, quite different from the sophisticated young lady she is today, but a lovely sweet character” (cited in Benson 1985)

As intimated here, an initial trial recording of Educating Archie was commissioned by the BBC, ostensibly to gauge if the format would work or not. This recording was made with the full cast on 15 January 1950 and was sufficiently well received for the broadcaster to green-light a six-episode pilot series to start in June as a fill-in for the popular comedy programme, Take It From Here during that series’ summer hiatus (Pearce, 4). The first episode of Educating Archie was scheduled for Tuesday 6 June in the prime 8:00pm evening slot, with a repeat broadcast the following Sunday afternoon at 1:45pm (Brough, 88ff).

All of the shows for Educating Archie were pre-recorded at the BBC’s Paris Cinema in Lower Regent Street. Typically, each week’s episode would be rehearsed in the afternoon and then performed and recorded later that evening in front of a live audience. Julie’s fee for the show was set at fifteen guineas (£15.15s.0d) for the recording, with an additional seven-and-a-half guineas (£7.17s.6d) per UK broadcast, 3 guineas (£3.3s.0d) for the first five overseas broadcasts, and one-and-a-half guineas for all other broadcasts (£1.11s.6d) (Julie Andrews Radio Artists File I).

The initial six-episodes of Educating Archie proved so popular that the BBC quickly extended the series for another six episodes from 18 July to 22 August (“So Archie,” 5). Of these Julie appeared in four -- 25 July, 1, 8, 14 August -- missing the fist and last episode due to prior performance commitments with Harold Fielding. Subsequently, the show -- and, with it, Julie’s contract -- was extended for a further eight episodes (29 August-17 October), then again for another eight (23 October-18 December). These later extensions were accompanied by a scheduling shift from Tuesday to Monday evening, with the Sunday afternoon repeat broadcast remaining unchanged (Julie Andrews Radio Artists File I). All up, the first season of Educating Archie ran for thirty weeks, five times its original scheduled length. During that time, the show’s audience jumped from an initial 4 million listeners to over 12 million (Dibbs, 200-201). It was also voted the top Variety Show of the year in the annual National Radio and Television Awards, a mere four-and-a-half months after its debut (Brough, 98; Wilson “Archie”, 3).

Given the meteoric success of the show, the cast of Educating Archie found themselves in hot demand. Peter Brough (1955) relates that there was a growing clamour from theatre producers for stage presentations of Educating Archie, including an offer from Val Parnell for a full-scale show at the Prince of Wales in the heart of the West End (101). He demurred, feeling the timing wasn’t yet right and that it was too soon for the show “to sustain a box office attraction in London” -- though he left the door open for future stage shows (102).

One venture Brough did green-light was a novelty recording of Jack and the Beanstalk with select stars of Educating Archie, including Julie. Spread over two sides of a single 78rpm, the recording was a kind of abridged fantasy episode of the show cum potted pantomime with Brough/Archie as Jack, Hattie Jacques as Mother, and Peter Madden as the Giant. Julie comes in at the very end of the tale to close proceedings with a short coloratura showcase, “When We Grow Up” which was written specially for the recording by Gene Crowley. Released by HMV in December 1950, the recording was pitched to the profitable Christmas market and, backed by a substantial marketing campaign, it realised brisk sales (“Jack,” 12). It was also warmly reviewed in the press as “a very well presented and most enjoyable disc” (“Disc,” 3) and “something to which children will listen again and again” (Tredinnick, 628).

In light of its astonishing success, there was little question that Educating Archie would be renewed for another season in 1951. In fact, it occasioned something of a bidding war with Radio Luxembourg, a competitor commercial network, courting Brough with a lucrative deal to bring the show over to them (Brough, 103-4). Out of a sense of professional loyalty to the BBC -- and, no doubt, sweetened by a counter-offer described by the Daily Express as “one of the biggest single programme deals in the history of radio variety in Britain” (cited in Brough, 104) -- Brough re-signed with the national broadcaster for a further three year contract.

For their part, the BBC was keen to get the new season up on the air as early as possible with an April start-date mooted. Brough, however, wanted to give the production team an extended break and, more importantly, secure enough time to develop new material with his writing team. Rising star scriptwriter, Eric Sykes was already overstretched with a competing assignment for Frankie Howerd so a later start for August was eventually confirmed (Brough, 105ff). The Educating Archie crew did, however, re-form for a one-off early preview special in March, Archie Andrew’s Easter Party, which reunited much of the original cast, including Julie (Gander, 6).

The second 1951 season started in earnest in late-July with pre-recordings and rehearsals, followed by the first episode which was broadcast on 3 August. This time round, the programme would air on Friday evenings at 8:45pm with a repeat broadcast two days later on Sunday at 6:00pm. The cast remained more-or-less the same with the exception of Robert Moreton who had, in the interim, secured his own radio show. Replacing him as Archie’s tutor was another up-and-coming comedy talent by the name of Tony Hancock (Brough, 111). It was the start of what would prove a star-making cycle of substitute tutors over the years which would come to include Harry Secombe, Benny Hill, Bruce Forsyth, and Sid James (Gifford 1985, 76). A further cast change would occur midway through Season 2 with the departure of Max Bygraves who left in October to pursue a touring opportunity as support act for Judy Garland in the United States (Brough, 113-14).

The second season of Educating Archie ran for 26 weeks from 3 August 1951 till 25 January 1952. Of these, Julie performed in 18 weekly episodes. She missed two episodes in late September due to other commitments and was absent from later episodes after 14 December due to her starring role in the Christmas panto, Aladdin at the London Casino. She was originally scheduled to return to Educating Archie for the final remaining shows of the season in January and her name appears in newspaper listings for these episodes. However, correspondence on file at the BBC Archives suggests she had to pull out due to ongoing contractual obligations with Aladdin which had extended its run due to popular demand (Julie Andrews Radio Artists File I).

Season 2 would mark the end of Julie’s association with Educating Archie. When the show resumed for Season 3 in September 1952, there would be no resident singer. Instead, the producers adopted “a policy of inviting a different guest artiste each week” (Brough 118). They also pushed the show more fully into the realm of character-based comedy with the inclusion of Beryl Reid who played a more subversive form of juvenile girl with her character of Monica, the unruly schoolgirl (Reid, 60ff). Moreover, by late 1952, Julie was herself “sixteen going on seventeen” and fast moving beyond the sweet little girl-next-door kind of role she had played on the show.

Still, there can be no doubt that the two years Julie spent with Educating Archie provided a major boost to her young career. Broadcast weekly into millions of homes around the nation, the programme afforded Julie a massive regular audience beyond anything she had yet experienced and helped consolidate her growing celebrity as a “household name”. Because Archie only recorded one day a week, Julie was still able to continue a fairly busy schedule of concerts and live performances, often travelling back to London for the broadcast before returning to various venues around the country (Andrews, 127). As a sign of her evolving star status, promotion for many of these appearances billed her as “Julie Andrews, 15 year old star of radio and television” (”Big Welcome,” 7) or even “Julie Andrews the outstanding radio and stage singing star from Educating Archie” (”Stage Attractions,” 4). In fact, Julie made at least two live appearances in this era alongside Brough and other members of the Educating Archie crew with a week at the Belfast Opera House in October 1951 and another week in November at the Gaumont Theatre Southampton (Programme, 1951).

Additionally, the fact that the episodes of Educating Archie were all pre-recorded means that the show provides a rare documentary record of Julie’s childhood performances. To date, several episodes with Julie have been publicly released. These include recordings of her singing “The Blue Danube” from 30 October 1950 and the popular Kathryn Grayson hit, “Love Is Where You Find It” from 19 October 1951. Given recordings of the series were issued to networks around Britain and even sent abroad suggests there must be others in existence and, so, we can only hope that more episodes with Julie will surface in time.

Reflecting on the cultural significance of Educating Archie, Barrie Took observes that, “Over the years [the] programme became a barometer of success; more than any other radio comedy it was the showcase of the emerging top-liner” (104). Indeed, the show’s alumni roll reads like a veritable “who’s who” of post-war British talent: Peter Brough, Eric Sykes, Hattie Jacques, Max Bygraves, Tony Hancock, Alfred Marks, Beryl Reid, Harry Secombe, Bruce Forsyth, Benny Hill, Warren Mitchell, Sid James, Marty Feldman, Dick Emery (Foster and Furst, 128-32). All big talents and even bigger names. However, it is perhaps fitting that, in a show built around a pint-sized dummy, the biggest name of all to come out of Educating Archie -- and, sadly, the only cast-member still with us today -- should be “little Julie Andrews”.

Sources:

Andrews, Julie. Home: A Memoir of My Early Years. London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 2008.

Baker, Richard A. Old Time Variety: An Illustrated History. Barnsley: Remember When, 2010.

Barfe, Louis. Turned Out Nice Again: The Story of British Light Entertainment. London: Atlantic Books, 2008.

Benson, John (Pres.). “Julie Andrews, A Celebration, Part 2.” Star Sound Special. Luke, Tony (Prod.), radio programme, BBC 2, 7 October 1985.

“Big Welcome for Julie Andrews.” Staines and Ashford News. 17 November 1950: 7.

Broadcasters, The. “Both Sides of the Microphone.” Radio Times. 4 June 1950: 5.

Brough, Peter. Educating Archie. London: Stanely Paul & Co., 1955.

Catling, Brian. “Arthur Worsley and the Uncanny Valley.” Articulate Objects: Voice, Sculpture and Performance. Satz, A. and Wood, J. eds. Bern: Peter Lang, 2009: 81-94.

Dibbs, Martin. Radio Fun and the BBC Variety Department, 1922—67. Chams: Palgrave MacMillan, 2018.

“Disc Dissertation.” Lincolnshire Echo. 11 December 1950: 3.

Donovan, Paul. “A Voice from the Past.” The Sunday Times. 17 December 1995: 74.

Dunning, John. On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio. New York: Oxford University Press, 1998.

Elmes, Simon. Hello Again: Nine Decades of Radio Voices. London: Random House, 2012.

Fisher, John. Funny Way to Be a Hero. London: Frederick Muller, 1973.

Foster, Andy and Furst, Steve. Radio Comedy, 1938-1968: A Guide to 30 Years of Wonderful Wireless. London: Virgin Books, 1996.

Gander, L Marsland. “Radio Topics.” Daily Telegraph. 13 March 1951: 6.

Gifford, Denis. The Golden Age of Radio: An Illustrated Companion. London: Batsford, 1985.

____________. “Obituary: Peter Brough.” The Independent. 7 June 1999: 11.

“Jack and the Beanstalk.” His Masters Voice Record Review. Vol. 8, no. 4, December 1950: 12.

Julie Andrews Radio Artists File I, 1945-61. Papers. BBC Written Archives Centre, Caversham.

Lawson, Tim and Persons, Alissa. The Magic Behind the Voices: A Who's Who of Cartoon Voice Actors. Jackson: University Press of Mississippi Press, 2004.

Merriman, Andy. Hattie: The Authorised Biography of Hattie Jacques. London: Aurum Press, 2008.

Pearce, Emery. “Dummy is Radio Star No. 1.” Daily Herald. 6 April 1950: 4.

Programme for Peter Brough and All-Star Variety at the Belfast Opera House, 22 October 1951, Belfast.

Programme for Peter Brough and All-Star Variety at the Gaumont Theatre Southampton, 12 November 1951, Southampton.

Reid, Beryl. So Much Love: An Autobiography. London: Hutchinson, 1984

“So Archie Stays on.” Daily Mail. 1 July 1950: 5.

“Song Notes.” The Stage. 28 September 1950: 11.

“Stage Attractions: Arcadia.” Lincolnshire Standard. 18 August 1951: 4

Street, Seán. The A to Z of British Radio. Lanham, MD: Scarecrow Press, 2009.

Took, Barry. Laughter in the Air: An Informal History of British Radio Comedy. London: Robson Books, 1976.

Tredinnick, Robert. “Gramophone Notes.” The Tatler and Bystander. 13 December 1950: 628.

Wilson, Cecil. “Dummy Steals the Spotlight.” Daily Mail. 27 May 1950: 4.

____________. “Archie, Petula Soar to the Top.” Daily Mail. 20 October 1950: 3.

#julie andrews #educating archie #peter brough #archie andrews #radio #bbc #british #1950s #ventriloquist #hattie jacques #max bygraves #tony hancock

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weirdesplinder · 4 years ago

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I miei dieci romance preferiti

Me l’avete chiesta ed eccola qui, la classifica dei miei 10 romance storici preferiti di sempre:

1. Un'estate da ricordare, di Mary Balogh

Titolo originale: A summer to remember

Link acquisto: https://amzn.to/384ka6q

Trama: Kit, conte di Ravensberg, non è certo quello che la buona società londinese di inizio Ottocento definirebbe un gentiluomo: dopo aver abbandonato la carriera militare si è trasferito nella capitale e passa le giornate dedicandosi alla sua attività preferita, scandalizzare i benpensanti. Dal canto suo Lauren, dopo essere stata abbandonata sull'altare, è decisa a non commettere mai più l'ingenuità di donare il proprio cuore a un uomo. I due desiderano più di tutto evitare un matrimonio, ma un fidanzamento può far comodo a entrambi: Kit non dovrà subire le candidate proposte dalla sua famiglia, in particolare Freya Bedwyn, e Lauren potrà agire in piena libertà. Nessuno dei due ha però fatto i conti con un ospite inatteso: l'amore vero. La mia opinione: Uno dei romanzi che più amo e che consiglio veramente a tutti. Stupendo, non ci sono altre parole per descriverlo. Personaggi profondi, dettagliati e costruiti in modo magistrale, reali come noi, feriti come noi. Non potrete non amarlo.

2. E infine la baciò, di Laura Leea Guhrke

Titolo originale: And then he kissed her

Link: https://amzn.to/2MbN4Zu

Trama: Inghilterra. Fine 1800. Emmaline è la segretaria di un famoso editore. Seria, pacata e controllata, vive secondo le ferree regole dell'etichetta. Il suo datoro di lavoro, invece, scandalosamente divorziato se ne infischia delle regole della società. Emma si accorge che la sua vita non è quella che vorrebbe solo dopo l'ennesimo rifiuto a far pubblicare il suo libro, proprio il giorno del suo compleanno. Ormai trentenne ha passato la giovinezza sprecandola, così decide di dare una svolta alla sua vita. Si licenzia, trova un nuvo editore e pubblica il suo libro. Il suo ex datore di lavoro però non intende lasciarla andare, senza di lei il suo ufficio sembra crollare. Quello che non si aspetta però è di essere attratto dalla nuova Emma. Per la prima volta la vede veramente…

La mia opinione: Questo è sicuramente il mio preferito fra i quattro libri che nomino in questo post. Scritto in uno stile meraviglioso. I due protagonisti non sono preda di equivoci o spinti l'uno verso l'altro da elementi esterno o da altri personaggi, è semplicemente un lavoro interiore che li avvicina. Emma per la prima volta agisce impulsivamente e da quel momento cambia agli occhi del suo ex datore datore di lavoro Lord Marlowe. Egli crede, dopo un divorzio disastroso e doloroso, di essere immune all'amore e nemmeno riconosce ci�� che prova per Emma, sa solo che deve aiutarla a liberarsi dalla prigione di regole che la soffoca. Un libro stupendo, romantico, ma con una vena di tristezza e gioia che ammalia il lettore. Da leggere assolutamente.

3. Incontrarsi e poi…, di Mary Jo Putney

Titolo originale: The Rake and the Reformer or The rake

Link: https://amzn.to/2KwNqJT

Trama: Alys è una nobile dama che dopo una delusione d'amore è fuggita daklla sua famiglia e dalla società per rifugiarsi in campagna e diventare, sotto mentite spoglie, amministratore di una proprietà terriera per conto di un nobile, un lavoro di solito maschile. Reginald invece è un nobile libertino, che ha passato la vita immergendosi in ogni vizio, fino a cadere vittima dell'alcolismo, e solo ora rendendosi conto delle bassezze cui è arrivato ha deciso di redimersi, assumendosi le sue responsabilità e partendo appunto con l'amministrare le terra che il cugino gli ha donato. Le stesse terre che fino ad ora erano dominio di Alys.E fu così che i due si incontrarono. Due caratteri forti ma feriti due persone veramente diverse ma anche complementari. Lei ha un gatto odioso e dominante, lui un cane pastore pauroso e fifone, eppure i due vanno d'accordo, come i loro padroni almeno finchè la vera identità di Alys non viene fuori e Reginald che per tutta la vita non ha mai fatto la cosa giusta, decide di farla stupidamente nel momento più sbagliato lasciandola andare via.

La mia opinione: bellissimo, uno dei miei romance preferiti in assoluto, con personaggi super affascinanti pieni di difetti reali e difficili al punto giusto. Imperdibile. Ottimo uso degli animali all'interno di un romanzo senza umanizzarli. Sublime.

4. Il lord della seduzione, di Loretta Chase

Titolo originale: Lord Of Scoundrels

Link: https://amzn.to/2LYvlVu

Trama: Jessica Trent prima ha tentato e quindi ha avvinto Sebastian Ballister, marchese di Dain, in un bacio appassionato. E ora spetta a lui salvarle la reputazione. Mai Jessica avrebbe immaginato di desiderare quell’uomo arrogante e immorale. I suoi intenti erano ben altri. Eppure il fuoco dello scandalo è nulla al confronto dell’ardore della loro passione...

La mia opinione:

Sebastian è un marchese irresistibile in quanto non è bello, non ha delle belle maniere a volte risulta rude o rozzo, e lui stesso è più che consapevole di tutte le sue mancanze. Siccome la gente pensa già il peggio di lui, ha deciso di non deluderli e di comportarsi il peggio possibile, ma in realtà dentro è un cucciolone, ha solo bisogno di amore e di qualcuno che veda oltre le apparenze e per fortuna lo trova in Jessica.

5. Vento dell’est, di M. M. Kaye

Titolo originale: Trade wind

Link: https://amzn.to/39SD8wa

Trama: Un romanzo ricco di emozioni, magia e passione sullo sfondo pittoresco e suggestivo di Zanzibar, l'isola dei chiodi di garofano e, nell'800,dominio inglese e massimo centro commerciale d'oriente, oltre che principale centro di commercio degli schiavi. I due protagonisti della storia sono Hero, una donna inglese piena di opinioni sempre pronta a moralizzare, e un pirata inglese, che adotta i costumi arabi e rinnega le sue radici. Hero ha sempre saputo che il suo destino l'aspettava su quell'isola, fin da quando da bambina una vecchia le aveva pronosticato un nfuturo misterioso e pieno di avventura. Le parole della vecchia si erano impresse a fuoco nella sua mente: “Farai vela intorno al mondo per trovare il lavoro che ti è stato destinato e colui che ti aiuterà a compierlo…contribuirai a far morire anime in quantità e molte di più a vivere, riceverai parole dure per questo e nessuno ringraziamento per quello. Metterai le mani su una smisurata fortuna in oro e non ne riceverai nessun bene. E per tutta la vita farai ciò che deve fare, ti farai il letto con le tue mani…e vi giacerai.” Ma mai si sarebbe immaginata che colui che l'avrebbe aiutata sarebbe stato un pirata e mercante di schiavi, il peggiore individuo mai nato, per lei che detesta tutto ciò che contribuisca allo schiavismo. Hero non sa che le cose che ignora sono tante, troppe….che le apparenze ingannano, e che il suo credersi superiore la porterà a commettere terribili errori a cui poi cercherà di rimediare. Così come Frost, pirata, uomo senza radici e fiero di esserlo, non sa che quella ragazza cambierà per sempre la sua vita. Ognuno deve sempe pagare per le proprie azioni, così quando deciderà di diventare Pigmalione e risvegliare Galatea….dovrà pagarne le conseguenze poichè colui che risveglia una statua alla vita poi si rende conto di non potere vivere senza di lei….

La mia opinione: Imperdibile.

6. Courting miss Hattie di Pamela Morsi

Link: https://amzn.to/2LDXku1

Trama: 1800. America. Hattie ha ormai più di trenta anni, e non ha mai avuto un corteggiatore. Non è bella ma ha della terra sua e finalmente uno spasimante si fa avanti. Non è bello, è vedovo e non è simpatico, ma è sempre meglio che rimanere zitella. Hattie accetta il corteggiamento e pensa proprio di sposarlo…..ma non sa che qualcuno è molto geloso delle sue attenzioni.

La mia opinione: Un bellissimo libro. I due protagonisti, amici da anni, solo grazie ad un terzo incomodo scoprono di amarsi. Lei è bruttina, lui è bello e più giovane di lei, ma innamoratto cotto di lei. Tra scazzottate, raccolti, lavoro duro, equivoci e risate, il libro scorre via che è un piacere.Courting Miss Hettie Pamela Morsi

7. Scandalo, di Amanda Quick

Titolo originale: Scandal

Link: https://amzn.to/39QYsSS

Trama: Da che la sua reputazione è stata irrimediabilmente compromessa da una sconsideratezza giovanile — “il disgraziato incidente” per dirla come la gente del luogo — l’incantevole Emily Faringdon si è rassegnata a trascorrere nubile il resto dei suoi giorni. Ne d’altronde, a cinque anni dal “fattaccio”, si può dire che la cosa la rattristi più di tanto. L’ottocentesca campagna inglese può offrire, infatti, molteplici interessi: ci sono la grande tenuta di famiglia da amministrare, le rendite del padre e dei fratelli da gestire, come pure le finanze delle vecchie signore del paese; per non parlare della grande passione letteraria che la spinge a comporre versi. Un esistenza piena e appagante, nonostante tutto…Finchè Emily non si ritrova coinvolta in una fitta corrispondenza, scoprendosi perdutamente innamorata. Sensibile, colto, intelligente, il prezioso amico di penna sembra incarnare tutto ciò che la giovane ha sempre desiderato in un uomo. Ma Simon Augustus Traherne, il misterioso conte di Blade, non è affatto come sembra… Mosso da oscure passioni e da un tragico segreto profondamente inciso nell’anima, Blade riesce a incantare e soggiogare tutta Londra… Tutta tranne Emily.Perchè Emily, benchè ammaliata dal seducente fascino di Simon, conosce la vera ragione delle profferte amorose dell’uomo. E sa anche di dovere ad ogni costo conquistare il suo gelido cuore prima che i vendicativi demoni del passato distruggano l’unico grande amore in cui lei abbia mai creduto.

La mia opinione: Scegliere tra tutti i libri di Amanda Quick che io adoro è sempre difficile, questo è tra i più divertenti per me, ma mi piace moltissimo anche Batticuore. Di Scandalo preferisco le scene d’amore e di Batticuore la trama, e visto che qui si parla di romance alla fine ho scelto Scandalo.

8. The Brides of Praire gold di Maggie Osborne

Trama: Cody Snow non sa cosa l’abbia spinto ad accettare l’incarico di guidare una carovana di dodici spose per corrispondenza dal Missouri fino a Clampet Falls, Oregon, ma già prima di partire si è pentito di averlo fatto. Non solo dovrà sorbirsi le loro innumerevoli lamentele e proteggerle dai pericoli del viaggio, ma dovrà anche combattere contro l’attrazione che prova verso una di loro, Perrin Waverly, poiché lei è promessa ad un altro, e lui ha giurato a se stesso dopo la morte della moglie, che non si sarebbe mai più sposato.

La mia opinione: Il mio libro preferito di questa autrice al momento. Un romanzo corale, uno sguardo su un momento storico ben preciso e su due tipi di viaggi tipici del periodo: la corsa verso ovest in carovana, e i viaggi delle mogli per corrispondenza, che causarono infiniti dolori, ma anche molte gioie.

9. Il segreto di Miranda, di Julia Quinn

Titolo originale: The secret diaries of Miranda Cheever

Link: https://amzn.to/3nYYygv

Trama: Londra, epoca vittoriana. Miranda Cheever si è innamorata del fratello maggiore della sua migliore amica a nove anni e non ha mai smesso di amarlo. Lui non l’ha mai notata, e un matrimonio sbagliato lo ha reso freddo e cinico. Eppure solo ora si accorge di lei

La mia opinione: romanzo veramente dolcissimo e struggente, che con il suo amore non corrisposto mi spezza il cuore ogni volta e poi lo ricostruisce con il lieto fine, fortunatamente. Quando rileggo questo libro di solito dopo rileggo anche il suo seguito intitolato Quella volta a Londra che vede protagonista la migliore amica di Miranda, e che è molto meno struggende, ma molto carino e ironico.

10. Mio Duca, di Julie Ann Long

Titolo originale: What I Did For a Duke

Link acquisto: https://amzn.to/3nfdFlv

Trama: Per anni Alexander Moncrieffe, duca di Falconbridge, ha suscitato paura e al contempo fascino, ma di tutto ciò che si mormora una cosa è certa: solo un pazzo oserebbe mettersi contro di lui. E quando Ian Eversea ignora questa cautela, Moncrieffe sa come vendicarsi: sedurre l’innocente sorella Genevieve per poi abbandonarla, rovinandole così la vita per sempre. Tuttavia la giovane lo sorprende per la passione e il temperamento, anche sapendo che Moncrieffe nasconde un passato oscuro. Così come sa che cedere al desiderio che lui ha risvegliato significa giocare col fuoco. Ma quando a comandare è il cuore…

La mia opinione: Non è un caso se l’ho messo in cima alla lista. Il Duca di Falconbridge forse non sarà il Duca più affascinante di tutti, ma il modo in cui scopre cosa significhi essere innamorati nonostante si creda troppo esperto e troppo maturo e troppo cinico è veramente dolcissimo e realistico. Questo è uno di quei romanzi in cui già solo un bacio tra i due protagonisti è in grado di trasmetterti più emozioni di latri 10 romanzi messi insieme.

Ed ora ecco anche La mia top dieci delle autrici di romance storici.

Come autrici romance Top three per me sono: Mary Balogh, Amanda Quick e poi se la giocano tipo parimerito Gurhke e Julia Quinn perchè conto la quantità dei loro romanzi che mi è piaciuta. Di loro ho letto e mi sono piaciuti veramente tanti ma tanti romanzi. Mary jo è più altalenante. Pamela Morsi la adoro, ma oggettivamente non è all'altezza stlisticamente parlando di altre autrici perciò nemmeno lei è top tre. E M. M. Kaye non è presente in classifica perchè non la ritengo una autrice romance, ma una autrice a 360 gradi.

1. Mary Balogh

2. Amanda Quick

3. Julia Quinn

4. Laura Lee Guhrke

5. Mary Jo Putney

6. Loretta Chase

7. Pamela Morsi

8.Maggie Osborne

9.Lisa Klypas

10.Patricia Cabot /Connie Brockway a parimerito

#Mary Balogh #loretta chase #Patricia Cabot #Lisa Kleypas #Mary Jo Putney #laura lee Guhrke #pamela morsi #Julia Quinn #Amanda Quick #Julie Anne Long #m. m. kaye #Maggie Osborne

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ao3feed-merlin · 5 years ago

Text

Kissy June

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/3eITHMj

by MadameBaggio

The Crackship Fleet is back!

This month we’ll have everybody kissing their special someone, because I love kissing! ;)

Words: 4425, Chapters: 23/51, Language: English

Series: Part 9 of The Crackship Fleet

Fandoms: King Arthur: Legend of the Sword (2017), Game of Thrones (TV), The Hobbit (Jackson Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Man From U.N.C.L.E. (2015), The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (TV), Tomb Raider (Movie 2018), Wonder Woman (Movies - Jenkins), X-Men (Alternate Timeline Movies), Chronicles of Narnia - C. S. Lewis, Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies), Star Wars Sequel Trilogy, The Originals (TV), From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV), Kingsman (Movies), Gossip Girl (TV 2007), Teen Wolf (TV), IT (Movies - Muschietti), Stranger Things (TV 2016), Daredevil (TV), Catwoman (Comics), John Wick (Movies), Dredd (2012), The 100 (TV), Aquaman (2018), Supernatural, Wynonna Earp (TV), The Huntsman (Movies), Merlin (TV), Boondock Saints (Movies), Anna (2019), Transporter (Movies), Atomic Blonde (2017), Sucker Punch (2011), Priest (2011), Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters (2013), Hellboy (Movies 2004-2008), Maleficent (Disney Movies), Labyrinth (1986), Killjoys (TV), Arrow (TV 2012), A Discovery of Witches (TV), Conan the Barbarian (2011), Constantine (TV), The Lord of the Rings (Movies), Underworld (Movies), G.I. Joe: Rise of Cobra (2009), Hitman: Agent 47 (2015), Brooklyn Nine-Nine (TV), Batwoman (TV 2019), Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, G.I. Joe: Retaliation (2013), Hobbs & Shaw (2019), Charlie's Angels (2019), The A-Team (2010), RED (Movies), Eleventh Hour (US TV), Triple Frontier (2019), King Arthur (2004), The Witcher (TV), Ocean's 8 (2018), Dollface (TV 2019), The Punisher (TV 2017), Ready or Not (2019)

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Categories: Multi

Characters: Arthur (King Arthur: Legend of the Sword), Robb Stark, Brunnhilde | Valkyrie (Marvel), Tauriel (Hobbit Movies), Miriam "Midge" Maisel, Napoleon Solo, Lara Croft, Diana (Wonder Woman), Sansa Stark, Vortigern (King Arthur: Legend of the Sword), Erik Lehnsherr, Susan Pevensie, James T. Kirk, Rey (Star Wars), Klaus Mikaelson, Santanico Pandemonium | Kisa, Skye | Daisy Johnson, Gary "Eggsy" Unwin, Stiles Stilinski, Blair Waldorf, Eleven | Jane Hopper, Beverly Marsh, Selina Kyle, Matt Murdock, James "Bucky" Barnes, Lydia Martin, Natasha Romanov (Marvel), John Wick, Octavia Blake, Joseph Dredd, Derek Hale, Darcy Lewis, Maria Hill, Merlin (Kingsman), Loki (Marvel), Thranduil (Tolkien), Mera (DCU), Steve Rogers, Wynonna Earp, Dean Winchester, Clarke Griffin, Daenerys Targaryen, Morgana (Merlin), Ravenna (The Huntsman), Connor MacManus, Murphy MacManus, Anna Poliatova, Lorraine Broughton, Frank Martin, Baby Doll (Sucker Punch), Priest (Priest 2011), Gretel (Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters), Nuada (Hellboy), Margaery Tyrell, Roan (The 100), Jareth (Labyrinth), Maleficent (Disney), Dutch | Yalena Yardeen, Leonard "Bones" McCoy, Felicity Smoak, Sam Winchester, Diana Bishop, John Constantine, Conan the Cimmerian, Freya (The Huntsman), Leo Fitz, Jemma Simmons, Roxy Morton | Lancelot, Faramir (Son of Denethor II), Jon Snow, Lucian (Underworld), Tamara (Conan the Barbarian), Snake-Eyes, Katia van Dees, Kate Kane, Rosa Diaz (Brooklyn Nine-Nine), Alison "Lady Jaye" R. Hart-Burnett, Darth Maul, Jane Kano, Hattie Shaw, Han Cho Bai, Templeton "Faceman" Peck, Santiago "Pope" Garcia, Jacob Hood, Mina Harker, Selene (Underworld), Agent 47 (Hitman), Elena Houghlin, Dagonet (King Arthur 2004), Brienne of Tarth, Borra (Disney), Princess Catia, Diaval (Disney), Yennefer z Vengerbergu | Yennefer of Vengerberg, Daphne Kluger, Sabina Wilson, Sara (The Huntsman), Sif (Marvel), Chris Argent, Madison Maxwell, Frank Castle, Grace Le Domas

Relationships: Arthur (King Arthur: Legend of the Sword)/Robb Stark, Brunnhilde | Valkyrie (Marvel)/Tauriel (Hobbit Movies), Miriam "Midge" Maisel/Napoleon Solo, Lara Croft/Diana (Wonder Woman), Sansa Stark/Vortigern (King Arthur: Legend of the Sword), Erik Lehnsherr/Susan Pevensie, James T. Kirk/Rey (Star Wars), Klaus Mikaelson/Santanico Pandemonium | Kisa, Skye | Daisy Johnson/Gary "Eggsy" Unwin, Stiles Stilinski/Blair Waldorf, Eleven | Jane Hopper/Beverly Marsh, Selina Kyle/Matt Murdock, James "Bucky" Barnes/Lydia Martin, Natasha Romanov/John Wick, Octavia Blake/Joseph Dredd, Derek Hale/Darcy Lewis, Maria Hill/Merlin (Kingsman), Loki (Marvel)/Thranduil (Tolkien), Mera (DCU)/Steve Rogers, Wynonna Earp/Dean Winchester, Clarke Griffin/Daenerys Targaryen, Morgana (Merlin)/Ravenna (The Huntsman), Connor MacManus/Murphy MacManus/Anna Poliatova, Lorraine Broughton/Frank Martin, Baby Doll (Sucker Punch)/Priest (Priest 2011), Gretel (Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters)/Nuada (Hellboy), Margaery Tyrell/Roan (The 100), Jareth (Labyrinth)/Maleficent (Disney), Dutch | Yalena Yardeen/Leonard "Bones" McCoy, Felicity Smoak/Sam Winchester, Diana Bishop/John Constantine, Conan the Cimmerian/Freya (The Huntsman), Leo Fitz/Roxy Morton | Lancelot/Jemma Simmons, Faramir (Son of Denethor II)/Jon Snow, Lucian (Underworld)/Tamara (Conan the Barbarian), Snake-Eyes (G. I. Joe)/Katia van Dees, Rosa Diaz (Brooklyn Nine-Nine)/Kate Kane, Alison "Lady Jaye" R. Hart-Burnett/Darth Maul, Jane Kano/Hattie Shaw, Han Cho Bai/Templeton "Faceman" Peck, Santiago "Pope" Garcia/Jacob Hood, Mina Harker/Selene (Underworld), Agent 47 (Hitman)/Elena Houghlin, Dagonet (King Arthur 2004)/Brienne of Tarth, Borra (Disney)/Princess Catia, Diaval (Disney)/Yennefer z Vengerbergu | Yennefer of Vengerberg, Daphne Kluger/Sabina Wilson, Sara (The Huntsman)/Sif (Marvel), Chris Argent/Madison Maxwell, Frank Castle/Grace Le Domas

Additional Tags: Crossover, Crossover Pairings, Cross-Posted on Tumblr, Snippets, Crack, Fluff and Crack, Multiple Crossovers, Kissing

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/3eITHMj

#IFTTT #ao3feed #fanfic #merlin #bbc merlin

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ao3feed-lokiangst · 5 years ago

Text

Alternate April

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/3fxPgoA

by MadameBaggio

The Crackship Fleet is back!

This month we’ll have Alternate Universes for everyone! How would those ships deal with a different setting? Let's find out.

Words: 480, Chapters: 1/51, Language: English

Series: Part 8 of The Crackship Fleet

Fandoms: King Arthur: Legend of the Sword (2017), Game of Thrones (TV), The Hobbit (Jackson Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Man From U.N.C.L.E. (2015), The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (TV), Tomb Raider (Movie 2018), Wonder Woman (Movies - Jenkins), X-Men (Alternate Timeline Movies), Chronicles of Narnia - C. S. Lewis, Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies), Star Wars Sequel Trilogy, The Originals (TV), From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV), Kingsman (Movies), Gossip Girl (TV 2007), Teen Wolf (TV), IT (Movies - Muschietti), Stranger Things (TV 2016), Daredevil (TV), Catwoman (Comics), John Wick (Movies), Dredd (2012), The 100 (TV), Aquaman (2018), Supernatural, Wynonna Earp (TV), The Huntsman (Movies), Merlin (TV), Boondock Saints (Movies), Anna (2019), Transporter (Movies), Atomic Blonde (2017), Sucker Punch (2011), Priest (2011), Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters (2013), Hellboy (Movies 2004-2008), Maleficent (Disney Movies), Labyrinth (1986), Killjoys (TV), Arrow (TV 2012), A Discovery of Witches (TV), Constantine (TV), Conan the Barbarian (2011), The Lord of the Rings (Movies), Underworld (Movies), G.I. Joe: Rise of Cobra (2009), Hitman: Agent 47 (2015), Brooklyn Nine-Nine (TV), Batwoman (TV 2019), Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, G.I. Joe: Retaliation (2013), Hobbs & Shaw (2019), Charlie's Angels (2019), The A-Team (2010), RED (Movies), Eleventh Hour (US TV), Triple Frontier (2019), King Arthur (2004), The Witcher (TV), Ocean's 8 (2018), Dollface (TV 2019), The Punisher (TV 2017), Ready or Not (2019)

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Categories: Multi

Characters: Arthur (King Arthur: Legend of the Sword), Robb Stark, Brunnhilde | Valkyrie (Marvel), Tauriel (Hobbit Movies), Miriam "Midge" Maisel, Napoleon Solo, Lara Croft, Diana (Wonder Woman), Sansa Stark, Vortigern (King Arthur: Legend of the Sword), Erik Lehnsherr, Susan Pevensie, James T. Kirk, Rey (Star Wars), Klaus Mikaelson, Santanico Pandemonium | Kisa, Skye | Daisy Johnson, Gary "Eggsy" Unwin, Stiles Stilinski, Blair Waldorf, Eleven | Jane Hopper, Beverly Marsh, Selina Kyle, Matt Murdock, James "Bucky" Barnes, Lydia Martin, Natasha Romanov (Marvel), John Wick, Octavia Blake, Joseph Dredd, Derek Hale, Darcy Lewis, Maria Hill, Merlin (Kingsman), Loki (Marvel), Thranduil (Tolkien), Mera (DCU), Steve Rogers, Wynonna Earp, Dean Winchester, Clarke Griffin, Daenerys Targaryen, Morgana (Merlin), Ravenna (The Huntsman), Connor MacManus, Murphy MacManus, Anna Poliatova, Lorraine Broughton, Frank Martin, Baby Doll (Sucker Punch), Priest (Priest 2011), Gretel (Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters), Nuada (Hellboy), Margaery Tyrell, Roan (The 100), Jareth (Labyrinth), Maleficent (Disney), Dutch | Yalena Yardeen, Leonard "Bones" McCoy, Felicity Smoak, Sam Winchester, Diana Bishop, John Constantine, Faramir (Son of Denethor II), Conan the Cimmerian, Freya (The Huntsman), Leo Fitz, Jemma Simmons, Roxy Morton | Lancelot, Jon Snow, Lucian (Underworld), Tamara (Conan the Barbarian), Snake-Eyes, Katia van Dees, Rosa Diaz (Brooklyn Nine-Nine), Kate Kane, Alison "Lady Jaye" R. Hart-Burnett, Darth Maul, Jane Kano, Hattie Shaw, Han Cho Bai, Templeton "Faceman" Peck, Jacob Hood, Santiago "Pope" Garcia, Mina Harker, Selene (Underworld), Agent 47 (Hitman), Elena Houghlin, Dagonet (King Arthur 2004), Brienne of Tarth, Borra (Disney), Princess Catia, Diaval (Disney), Yennefer z Vengerbergu | Yennefer of Vengerberg, Daphne Kluger, Sabina Wilson, Sara (The Huntsman), Sif (Marvel), Chris Argent, Madison Maxwell, Frank Castle, Grace Le Domas

Relationships: Arthur (King Arthur: Legend of the Sword)/Robb Stark, Brunnhilde | Valkyrie (Marvel)/Tauriel (Hobbit Movies), Miriam "Midge" Maisel/Napoleon Solo, Lara Croft/Diana (Wonder Woman), Sansa Stark/Vortigern (King Arthur: Legend of the Sword), Erik Lehnsherr/Susan Pevensie, James T. Kirk/Rey (Star Wars), Klaus Mikaelson/Santanico Pandemonium | Kisa, Skye | Daisy Johnson/Gary "Eggsy" Unwin, Stiles Stilinski/Blair Waldorf, Eleven | Jane Hopper/Beverly Marsh, Selina Kyle/Matt Murdock, James "Bucky" Barnes/Lydia Martin, Natasha Romanov/John Wick, Octavia Blake/Joseph Dredd, Derek Hale/Darcy Lewis, Maria Hill/Merlin (Kingsman), Loki (Marvel)/Thranduil (Tolkien), Mera (DCU)/Steve Rogers, Wynonna Earp/Dean Winchester, Clarke Griffin/Daenerys Targaryen, Morgana (Merlin)/Ravenna (The Huntsman), Connor MacManus/Murphy MacManus/Anna Poliatova, Lorraine Broughton/Frank Martin, Baby Doll (Sucker Punch)/Priest (Priest 2011), Gretel (Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters)/Nuada (Hellboy), Margaery Tyrell/Roan (The 100), Jareth (Labyrinth)/Maleficent (Disney), Dutch | Yalena Yardeen/Leonard "Bones" McCoy, Felicity Smoak/Sam Winchester, Diana Bishop/John Constantine, Conan the Cimmerian/Freya (The Huntsman), Leo Fitz/Roxy Morton | Lancelot/Jemma Simmons, Faramir (Son of Denethor II)/Jon Snow, Lucian (Underworld)/Tamara (Conan the Barbarian), Snake-Eyes (G. I. Joe)/Katia van Dees, Rosa Diaz/Kate Kane, Alison "Lady Jaye" R. Hart-Burnett/Darth Maul, Jane Kano/Hattie Shaw, Han Cho Bai/Templeton "Faceman" Peck, Jacob Hood/Santiago "Pope" Garcia, Mina Harker/Selene (Underworld), Agent 47 (Hitman)/Elena Houghlin, Dagonet (King Arthur 2004)/Brienne of Tarth, Borra (Disney)/Princess Catia (King Arthur: Legend of the Sword), Diaval (Disney)/Yennefer z Vengerbergu | Yennefer of Vengerberg, Daphne Kluger/Sabina Wilson, Sara (The Huntsman)/Sif (Marvel), Chris Argent/Madison Maxwell, Frank Castle/Grace Le Domas

Additional Tags: Crackship Fleet, Crack, Fluff and Crack, Fluff, Alternate Universe, too many AUs to name properly, Cross-Posted on Tumblr, Crossover, Crossover Pairings, Multiple Crossovers

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/3fxPgoA

#IFTTT #ao3feed #fanfic #loki #loki fanfic #loki fanfiction #marvel cinematic universe #angst

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ao3feed-fromdusktilldawn · 5 years ago

Text

December Kisses

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/2ZkaheR

by MadameBaggio

The Crackship Fleet is back! This time we have looooots of kisses.

Words: 422, Chapters: 1/44, Language: English

Series: Part 5 of The Crackship Fleet

Fandoms: Game of Thrones (TV), King Arthur: Legend of the Sword (2017), The Hobbit (Jackson Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Man From U.N.C.L.E. (2015), The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (TV), Tomb Raider (Movie 2018), Wonder Woman (2017), X-Men (Alternate Timeline Movies), Chronicles of Narnia - All Media Types, Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies), Star Wars Sequel Trilogy, The Originals (TV), From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV), Kingsman (Movies), Gossip Girl (TV 2007), Teen Wolf (TV), IT (Movies - Muschietti), Stranger Things (TV 2016), Daredevil (TV), Batman - All Media Types, John Wick (Movies), Dredd (2012), The 100 (TV), Aquaman (2018), Supernatural, Wynonna Earp (TV), The Huntsman (Movies), Merlin (TV), Boondock Saints (Movies), Anna (2019), Transporter (Movies), Atomic Blonde (2017), Sucker Punch (2011), Priest (2011), Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters (2013), Hellboy (Movies 2004-2008), Maleficent (Disney Movies), Labyrinth (1986), Killjoys (TV), Arrow (TV 2012), A Discovery of Witches (TV), Constantine (TV), Conan the Barbarian (2011), The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types, Underworld (Movies), G.I. Joe: Rise of Cobra (2009), Hitman: Agent 47 (2015), Brooklyn Nine-Nine (TV), Batwoman (TV 2019), G.I. Joe: Retaliation (2013), Hobbs & Shaw (2019), Charlie's Angels (2019), The A-Team (2010), RED (Movies), Eleventh Hour (US TV), Triple Frontier (2019), The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (2003), King Arthur (2004)

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Categories: Multi

Characters: Sansa Stark, Vortigern (King Arthur: Legend of the Sword), Arthur (King Arthur: Legend of the Sword), Robb Stark, Brunnhilde | Valkyrie (Marvel), Tauriel (Hobbit Movies), Miriam "Midge" Maisel, Napoleon Solo, Lara Croft, Diana (Wonder Woman), Erik Lehnsherr, Susan Pevensie, James T. Kirk, Rey (Star Wars), Klaus Mikaelson, Santanico Pandemonium | Kisa, Skye | Daisy Johnson, Gary "Eggsy" Unwin, Stiles Stilinski, Blair Waldorf, Eleven | Jane Hopper, Beverly Marsh, Selina Kyle, Matt Murdock, James "Bucky" Barnes, Lydia Martin, Natasha Romanov (Marvel), John Wick, Darcy Lewis, Derek Hale, Octavia Blake, Joseph Dredd, Maria Hill, Merlin (Kingsman), Loki (Marvel), Thranduil (Tolkien), Mera (DCU), Steve Rogers, Wynonna Earp, Dean Winchester, Clarke Griffin, Daenerys Targaryen, Morgana (Merlin), Ravenna (The Huntsman), Connor MacManus, Murphy MacManus, Anna Poliatova, Lorraine Broughton, Frank Martin, Baby Doll (Sucker Punch), Priest (Priest), Gretel (Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters), Nuada (Hellboy), Margaery Tyrell, Roan (The 100), Jareth (Labyrinth), Maleficent (Disney), Dutch | Yalena Yardeen, Leonard "Bones" McCoy, Felicity Smoak, Sam Winchester, Diana Bishop, John Constantine, Freya (The Huntsman), Conan the Cimmerian, Leo Fitz, Roxy Morton | Lancelot, Jemma Simmons, Lucian (Underworld), Tamara (Conan the Barbarian), Katia van Dees, Snake-Eyes, Rosa Diaz, Kate Kane, Darth Maul, Alison "Lady Jaye" R. Hart-Burnett, Faramir (Son of Denethor II), Jon Snow, Hattie Shaw, Jane Kano, Templeton "Faceman" Peck, Han Cho Bai, Jacob Hood, Santiago "Pope" Garcia, Selene (Underworld), Mina Harker, Brienne of Tarth, Dagonet (King Arthur 2004)

Relationships: Sansa Stark/Vortigern (King Arthur: Legend of the Sword), Arthur (King Arthur: Legend of the Sword)/Robb Stark, Brunnhilde | Valkyrie (Marvel)/Tauriel (Hobbit Movies), Miriam "Midge" Maisel/Napoleon Solo, Lara Croft/Diana (Wonder Woman), Erik Lehnsherr/Susan Pevensie, James T. Kirk/Rey (Star Wars), Klaus Mikaelson/Santanico Pandemonium | Kisa, Skye | Daisy Johnson/Gary "Eggsy" Unwin, Stiles Stilinski/Blair Waldorf, Eleven | Jane Hopper/Beverly Marsh, Selina Kyle/Matt Murdock, James "Bucky" Barnes/Lydia Martin, Natasha Romanov/John Wick, Darcy Lewis/Derek Hale, Octavia Blake/Joseph Dredd, Maria Hill/Merlin (Kingsman), Loki (Marvel)/Thranduil (Tolkien), Mera (DCU)/Steve Rogers, Wynonna Earp/Dean Winchester, Clarke Griffin/Daenerys Targaryen, Morgana (Merlin)/Ravenna (The Huntsman), Connor MacManus/Murphy MacManus/Anna Poliatova, Lorraine Broughton/Frank Martin, Baby Doll (Sucker Punch)/Priest (Priest), Gretel (Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters)/Nuada (Hellboy), Margaery Tyrell/Roan (The 100), Jareth (Labyrinth)/Maleficent (Disney), Dutch | Yalena Yardeen/Leonard "Bones" McCoy, Felicity Smoak/Sam Winchester, Diana Bishop/John Constantine, Freya (The Huntsman)/Conan The Cimmerian, Leo Fitz/Roxy Morton | Lancelot/Jemma Simmons, Lucian (Underworld)/Tamara (Conan the Barbarian), Katia Van Dees/Snake-Eyes, Rosa Diaz/Kate Kane, Darth Maul/Alison "Lady Jaye" R. Hart-Burnett, Faramir (Son of Denethor II)/Jon Snow, Hattie Shaw/Jane Kano, Templeton "Faceman" Peck/Han Cho Bai, Jacob Hood/Santiago "Pope" Garcia, Selene (Underworld)/Mina Harker, Brienne of Tarth/Dagonet (King Arthur 2004)

Additional Tags: Crack, Fluff and Crack, crackshipping, Crackship Fleet, Crossover, Multiple Crossovers, Crossover Pairings, Cross-Posted on Tumblr, Snippets, Kissing

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/2ZkaheR

#IFTTT #ao3feed #fanfic #from dusk till dawn #fdtd

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legacycrossoverdiaries · 5 years ago

Text

In which Tony and Mayua FINALLY get married...

All the guests have arrived! Hatshepsut and Arthur Stiles are thrilled to be there, naturally.

Hattie: “I see the Mitchell’s didn’t bother to get a sitter for their offspring.” Arthuro: “Yes, well, they probably own a mini-van.” Hattie: “True, we are far too stylish for such a thing.”

Anita and Ryan Murdock seem a little more enthusiastic…well, Anita does anyhow.

Anita: “Four of the little beasts, eh Mitchell? I think we can beat that, Ryan!” Ryan: **wishes his wife was less competitive**

Or maybe he’s just wondering how Pili keeps his head so smooth.

Ryan: “Does he wax…?”

On the other side of the aisle we have all four Mitchell children, and Horus, who brought his wife, Ophelia.

Poor Justin doesn’t look super thrilled to be here.

Justin: “Weddings are so boooring!” Cassidy: “You’re fine, Justin, omg.”

The music begins to play, and (completely on cue, because that’s how the Mitchell’s roll y’all) Diana and Terry kick off our little procession.

Ophelia is very impressed.

Cassidy: “Aaa! Don’t they look amazing?!” Justin: **sulks**

Tony waits by the wedding arch, trying to ignore the smirks of his co-workers.

Strangely armed, Father Oberon, who is officiating the ceremony, glares at the air around him… I guess he doesn’t like the pretty stardust halo?

Oberon: “What is these things?!”

The wedding party is in place! Oly produces some sort of remote control and presses a button.

Instantly, the music shifts into something a tad more matrimonial…

Terry: “Oh my goodness!” Tony: “What–what is she wearing??” Terry: “Tony, you are a very lucky man…”

Mayua seems unaware of the sensation she’s causing at the altar… or is she unaware?

Tony: “Mitchell… I don’t think she’s wearing any underthings…” Terry: “Heh, I think you’re right about that.”

Hattie has apparently made the same deduction… or perhaps she’s disappointed that someone else has more cleavage on display?

Hattie: “I knew I should have gone with the side-boob dress.” Arthuro: “But if you’d done that, we would have never made it out of the bedroom...”

Tony: “This is unacceptable! Who let her wear that–that– napkin?!” Terry: “Just enjoy the moment, Tony, that’s all for you, remember?”

It wasn’t though, was it? Not that he could tell Mitchell; Pili wanted them to play along, didn’t want anything about the cover-marriage leaking out in case it got Hunt deported.

Tony: “She will get cold.”

There. Full of husbandly concern.

Justin looks less thrilled than one would think, for a teenage boy… but he is looking!

Cassidy: “I bet mom fainted when she saw that dress.”

Terry: “I do wonder how those little straps of cloth keep her so… suspended.” Tony: “You will immediately cease wondering about Hunt’s breasts.” Terry: “I was just thinking that whatever it is, I should get some for Diana!” Tony: “Sure you were.”

Though perhaps Terry isn’t the only one wondering such things.

Pili: “You think it’s boob tape?” Oly: “Nah, I think it’s those little clingy gel cups.” Pili: “Never seen those, you gonna show me later?” Oly: “In your dreams, bald man.”

Mayua: “Antonio.”

Tony: “Hunt…” Terry: “Give her your hand!”

Tony: “Piss off, Mitchell, I know what to do.” Terry: “You look lovely, Mayua.”

The Priest stepped forward.

Oberon: “No more delays! Take your places, let us begin this thing!”

Oberon: “Dearly, ah… le persone amate… what is this called again…”

Tony: “Beloved.”

Oberon: “Ah, sì! Grazie.” Tony: “Prego.”

Pili: “See? Told ya; Spanish!”

Oly: “You’re a fucking moron, you know that right?”

Tony: “Wow.” Mayua: “Perhaps our kind employer is less clever than I had supposed.” Oberon: **clears his throat loudly** “DEARLY BELOVED!”

The rest of the ceremony went pretty smoothly. Father Oberon said a bunch of stuff, Tony made some vows and put a ring on the little psycho’s stabby finger…

…And she did the same. Pity they left out that part in her vows about ‘obeying’; Tony was pretty sure that would’ve come in handy at some point. Oh well.

Then it was done. Except for one thing.

Oberon: “…you may kiss your bride.”

Tony could tell right off the bat she was up to no good.

Sure enough. The little psycho grabbed him in a head lock. Yeah, it probably looked all sweet from a spectator’s point of view, but he could feel the heel of her palm pressed against a very important artery in his neck.

Tony: “Absolutely no biting, you feel me?”

She pressed her hip into his groin.

Mayua: “Yes, Antonio, I do feel you.” Tony: “Let’s just get this over with already.”

He wasn’t prepared for it. Probably should have been though; Hunt did everything with unbridled passion.

Including kissing. Maybe especially kissing? He idly wondered what else she did with unbridled passion…

It went on for a while. Tony felt his heartbeat banging against his chest… and other parts of his anatomy. Slowly, her deathgrip on his neck relaxed, and he forgot about their audience.

When she pulled back, at last, he almost leaned forward to kiss her againm byt caught himself in time.

Tony: “What the hell was that?” His voice sounded hoarse in his ears.

Mayua: “Many apologies for the biting,” she replied, with an unapologetic little grin.

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